U.S. Pat. No. 7,628,606 of the present applicant teaches a high velocity flame torch that does not require water cooling. These torches operate by introducing oxidizer into the torch so as to create a vortex flow of oxidizer, and introducing fuel axially into a low-pressure eye of this vortex. By introducing the fuel into the low pressure eye, a stratified stream of fuel and oxidizer is created where combustion occurs in an expanding central region where the fuel mixes with the oxidizer, while a sheath of unmixed oxidizer surrounds this central region of combustion gases and acts to shield the surrounding structure from excess heating.